Are you benefiting fairly for the hegemony for which you are paying? You might benefit by keeping the question in mind as you read on.
Certain people in the United states have built and are exploiting an empire. Empire building is imperialism. 'Imperialism' comes from the word 'imperial.' 'Imperial' relates to an empire or an emperor.
'Imperial also designates a government holding sovereign sway over 'dependencies.' Sovereign' is a word of which you may want t refresh or extend your understanding.
Imperialism hasn't been much about the acquisition of territory for some time. It is now much about the practice of technologies and stratagems for the establishment of economic and political hegemony over the people of other nations. It is the system, policies, and practices of an imperial government. My old blue dictionary says that imperialism is the policy, practice, and advocacy of extending power and dominion others by gaining indirect control over the economic and political life of the people of another nation.
Right, 'hegemony.' It is the preponderant influence or sway of one nation or state over another. That is easy enough. Where is it that you have hegemony?
The main reason for imperialism seems to be a kind of greed for wealth, and power over others. In practice imperialists use their power and techniques to exploit the human, natural, and economic resources of other nations. Seems a mite parasitic. Imperialists also use their dominance to control strategic locations of others for military and commercial reasons. Their principle aim often seems to be the control of markets. Imperialists seem to want the people of the world to consume imperialist's products and imperialist's prices. They, of course, have also often wanted to obtain raw materials at the lowest cost. That often means subverting the other's means of production. What do they say? 'The greater the concentration of power, the greater the corruption?'
By the 1600s certain powerful persons had well in mind the power potential of the organizational efficiency of the industrialized nation-state. Such states could produces certain goods so efficiently that they could undersell comparable local goods all over the world. All they had to do was get in the door. Once the door was open to them they could make a killing.
I ought to be thanking my history teachers. I can get a lot from books and other media, but a live teacher is a powerful aid to ones understanding.
The imperial expansion westward across North America held the attention of the people of the United States while Europeans divided up much of Africa and Asia. Even so, certain Americans were already looking for ventures beyond their boarders before 1900.
Big business was born in the U.S. Railroads, steel, and oil were big. The processing and distribution of food was becoming big. Munitions were important. The dollar was kept strong. California gold and Nevada silver helped support the dollar. U.S. credit was good. Foreign capital poured in. Big capital was born.
There were ups and downs. Economic depression and labor unrest occurred There were strikes. Some big employers thanked God for the National Guard. Check "Haymarket Square," "Homestead Strike," "Pullman Strike" in your history book or on Wikipedia.
Powerful persons in the United States took advantage of the United States to take advantage of the people of Latin America.
The powerful wanted markets, took them, and kept them. The sometimes used U.S. Sailors and Marines to open Latin American doors and to keep Latin America people 'in line.'
This opening doors business soon became a world-wide police of imperialists. Open the doors of China; open the doors of Japan.
Every salesman knew about 'getting his foot in the door.'
In the early days Americans did take territory for their empire. They took it from Colombia, Mexico, Canada, Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico. But why take territory and all the troublesome people therein when what was wanted was wealth and the power it brought.
These Americans became so powerful that they could practice 'regime change' in Italy and over uncounted countries. They could compete for Empire with the most powerful European states. They successfully competed for hegemony where the wanted and at the same time keep European competitors out of Latin America.
Japan proved more able at resisting American and European imperialism than were most countries. Doors of theirs were forced open, but not many of them. In the long run Japanese maintained pretty fair dominion over their own country. They also managed to organize themselves effectively as a state, to industrialize, and to create an effective military.
What does it mean to be a citizen of the most powerful empire known to man? 'We' have controlled the World Bank, the U.N., the sea, the sky, world markets, the media. Sounds pretty good. How are you benefiting?
'We' have made the mistake of humiliating people in the process of dominating them. They tend to find that upsetting.
What is the status of the nation-state today? Has the nation-state been a function of imperialism? Has Imperialism been a function of the nation-state? Do you see the nation-state morphing into something new? With major changes in the nation-state, what changes are likely to occur in the empires of today.
May those of empire consider the results of hubris.
How much are you paying for what you are getting? Let's be a little more aware the next time we agree to make payments.
Showing posts with label 1600s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1600s. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
More "Mound Builder" Notes
On this Blog there are a great many Post on American Indians. A few of those post have dealt with a Native People who have been called Mound Builders. The three post listed below were among them:
1-13-11 'Hopewell Exchange System'
3-3-11 '"Hopewell" People Continued'
4-2-11 'Hopewell System' 4-2-11
Some of the earthworks built by ancestors of casino owners might be interpreted as teaching and scientific centers. One reason for such an interpretation is the knowledge that some those earthworks accurately measure the 18.6 year lunar cycle. Perhaps you would explain that cycle to us.
There are stories that suggest that the Indian builders of mounds related to celestial activity celebrated that lunar cycle. Many of their mounds can still be used to track solstices, equinoxes, and their quarters. So, the earthworks of the 'Mound Builders' tracked and predicted solar activity as well as lunar activity.
Like many of us, those Indian builders of celestial observatories, seemed to have enjoyed art for art's sake. Examples of their sensibilities may be seen in their many stone relief carvings, the only purpose of which seems to be to please. Of course we understand that many of their arts and crafts were used as "grave goods" as a way to honor their dead. A marvelously handsome, clean-lined carving is sheet mica has made a lasting impression on me. Some of their works available to us are five or six thousand years old and their motives for making them are not easily determined.
If you would like more discussion on these or related topics, please let me know.
How the earliest European arrivals dealt with these people at the time of their arrival interests me. We have no European accounts of meetings until the 1000 AD accounts of Norsemen which suggests that their first encounter with the native inhabitants occured perhaps a hundred years earlier. Next came the 15th century accounts of Spaniards and people of some other European lands among them. There were other visitors from western Europe from very early times. Cornish, Irish, and Welsh may have come before the Norse. Kentucky may have been named by them. Portuguese fishermen may have visited before Columbus. Cherokee stories may record some of these early visits.
Those early European arrivals had few weapons with which to overwhelm the people of the land. If they stayed in the land for a time their main technology of war were staves, bows, and spears. Perhaps well cared for swords and long knives may have been durable enough to last. The Indians had weapons of nearly equal defectiveness. European bow and arrow might have been a bit more effective that the native product. A European swordsman with a decent sword would be a difficult many to best. As near as we can tell, disease did not seriously weaken the native population until the 1600s.
1-13-11 'Hopewell Exchange System'
3-3-11 '"Hopewell" People Continued'
4-2-11 'Hopewell System' 4-2-11
Some of the earthworks built by ancestors of casino owners might be interpreted as teaching and scientific centers. One reason for such an interpretation is the knowledge that some those earthworks accurately measure the 18.6 year lunar cycle. Perhaps you would explain that cycle to us.
There are stories that suggest that the Indian builders of mounds related to celestial activity celebrated that lunar cycle. Many of their mounds can still be used to track solstices, equinoxes, and their quarters. So, the earthworks of the 'Mound Builders' tracked and predicted solar activity as well as lunar activity.
Like many of us, those Indian builders of celestial observatories, seemed to have enjoyed art for art's sake. Examples of their sensibilities may be seen in their many stone relief carvings, the only purpose of which seems to be to please. Of course we understand that many of their arts and crafts were used as "grave goods" as a way to honor their dead. A marvelously handsome, clean-lined carving is sheet mica has made a lasting impression on me. Some of their works available to us are five or six thousand years old and their motives for making them are not easily determined.
If you would like more discussion on these or related topics, please let me know.
How the earliest European arrivals dealt with these people at the time of their arrival interests me. We have no European accounts of meetings until the 1000 AD accounts of Norsemen which suggests that their first encounter with the native inhabitants occured perhaps a hundred years earlier. Next came the 15th century accounts of Spaniards and people of some other European lands among them. There were other visitors from western Europe from very early times. Cornish, Irish, and Welsh may have come before the Norse. Kentucky may have been named by them. Portuguese fishermen may have visited before Columbus. Cherokee stories may record some of these early visits.
Those early European arrivals had few weapons with which to overwhelm the people of the land. If they stayed in the land for a time their main technology of war were staves, bows, and spears. Perhaps well cared for swords and long knives may have been durable enough to last. The Indians had weapons of nearly equal defectiveness. European bow and arrow might have been a bit more effective that the native product. A European swordsman with a decent sword would be a difficult many to best. As near as we can tell, disease did not seriously weaken the native population until the 1600s.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Mati Are
The Metis have been for a long time. That is, they have long been a people. They have developed a new culture from very different cultures. They continue to develop their culture.
They have been at least since the 1600s. They may have spoken mostly a combination of Cree and Ojibwa and French then. Please help me through my ignorance with what you have heard.
In those days they began to learn of Catholicism and to teach the French their way of doing business. I believe they are a beautiful blend of European and Native cultures. They may have begun that beautiful blending before the arrival of the Spanish in the new world. There are hints of a very old Hibernian speech in their language.
As an aside, I suspect that Irish may have arrived in the New World World as much as a hundred years before Norse. Say that the Norse arrived about 900 AD that then suggests that some blending was being done about 800 AD.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure that the blending I speak of well after the 'birth' of Christianity. Nearly all Matis speaking person has been touched by Catholicism. Mati were well recognized, acknowledged, and commented on by English speakers in the 1800s.
I imagine that if many Mati had a DNA check a strong touch of French, Cree, Ojibwa, and Saulteaux would be found, but also a bit of Irish, Inuit, Scot, Algonquin, and others.
Today, in the US and Canada, there are many hundreds o thousands of mixed blood people, but only about 300,000 who form a well identified Meti culture.
What kind of people are they? Got me.
I can say that they have been travelers. I seems incorrect to call them a stay-at-home people.
They have been voyageurs. They know British Columbia and have traveled to California in caravan. They know the Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes. They have used the Mississippi as their road; the Missouri and Ohio Rivers too. They probably invented the canoe as we know it.
They have traveled this land and its waters, including the sea.
They watch many of the same TV programs that you do.
They know the Chippewa and empathise with the Cherokee.
Some say that their language is built largely of Ojibwa and French, but it contains much more, including a touch of Gaelic.
I think that you can find great stories relate to this very American people. However, if you are a person who wants the facts, It might me good to start with Louis Riel and work your way back. Once you are sure of your admiration for these people go back to Louis Riel and explore and discover your way to today.
Please help me to overcome my ignorance of these things. Tell me where I have been true and where I have been mistaken. I have tried to write honestly.
They have been at least since the 1600s. They may have spoken mostly a combination of Cree and Ojibwa and French then. Please help me through my ignorance with what you have heard.
In those days they began to learn of Catholicism and to teach the French their way of doing business. I believe they are a beautiful blend of European and Native cultures. They may have begun that beautiful blending before the arrival of the Spanish in the new world. There are hints of a very old Hibernian speech in their language.
As an aside, I suspect that Irish may have arrived in the New World World as much as a hundred years before Norse. Say that the Norse arrived about 900 AD that then suggests that some blending was being done about 800 AD.
Anyway, I'm pretty sure that the blending I speak of well after the 'birth' of Christianity. Nearly all Matis speaking person has been touched by Catholicism. Mati were well recognized, acknowledged, and commented on by English speakers in the 1800s.
I imagine that if many Mati had a DNA check a strong touch of French, Cree, Ojibwa, and Saulteaux would be found, but also a bit of Irish, Inuit, Scot, Algonquin, and others.
Today, in the US and Canada, there are many hundreds o thousands of mixed blood people, but only about 300,000 who form a well identified Meti culture.
What kind of people are they? Got me.
I can say that they have been travelers. I seems incorrect to call them a stay-at-home people.
They have been voyageurs. They know British Columbia and have traveled to California in caravan. They know the Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes. They have used the Mississippi as their road; the Missouri and Ohio Rivers too. They probably invented the canoe as we know it.
They have traveled this land and its waters, including the sea.
They watch many of the same TV programs that you do.
They know the Chippewa and empathise with the Cherokee.
Some say that their language is built largely of Ojibwa and French, but it contains much more, including a touch of Gaelic.
I think that you can find great stories relate to this very American people. However, if you are a person who wants the facts, It might me good to start with Louis Riel and work your way back. Once you are sure of your admiration for these people go back to Louis Riel and explore and discover your way to today.
Please help me to overcome my ignorance of these things. Tell me where I have been true and where I have been mistaken. I have tried to write honestly.
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